Art for a New Audience


HK Magazine
By Grace Tsoi | Mar 08, 2012

http://hk.asia-city.com/events/article/new-audience


Shanghai Street, one of the longest streets in the city, runs through the aging district of Yau Ma Tei. Dotted with old tenement buildings and traditional shops, at first glance the street seems an unlikely home for contemporary art. But a group of local artists think otherwise. In an attempt to breathe some new life into an old district, they founded Woofer Ten, an alternative art space.

“The artist-audience relationship is no longer dictated by display and reception,” says Lee Chun-fung, the curator of Woofer Ten. “Of course, museums are important, but what’s more important is the emotional exchange between artists and the audience.” The population of Yau Ma Tei is largely working class. For many, art might seem like a distant thing. So the artists of Woofer Ten try to make the space inviting for the community. Many kaifongs (local residents)—including Pakistani children, retired men and old grannies—have become frequent visitors, who come to mingle and enjoy the art. “The essence of Woofer Ten is to create a platform for artists to engage with the community. It is a friendly place, and kaifongs can also contribute their opinions. It is an enriching interaction between artists and kaifongs,” Lee says.

Woofer Ten is not afraid of taking a political stance—the controversial de-facto referendum of 2010, Chinese authorities' treatment of Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo and the upcoming chief executive election have all been themes of the window displays, posters and artwork in the little enclave. Political activism is a notable trait among Hong Kong artists, and the ones affiliated with Woofer Ten are no exception. Somewhat ironically, the space is in fact funded by the government. “We vowed to make funding Woofer Ten the most regrettable decision ever made by the Arts Development Council,” Lee says jokingly.

Running Woofer Ten is no easy task—especially when some local artists refuse to shy away from spreading pointed messages in the face of the city’s political conservatism. However, they think that all their efforts are worthwhile, and they feel obliged to speak out. “Artists are actually also public intellectuals, and public intellectuals have the responsibility to voice their opinion," says Lee. “In a place such as Hong Kong, there’s no way for artists to avoid politics. This is something that we need to think about, and artists should not just hide themselves inside the studios.”